Honorees:
This year, Algonquin Arts Theatre honors William Whitefield, Rod Kerr of Remington's and Lou Smith of Blend on Main.

Synopsis

The benefit is the single biggest fundraising day of the year for Algonquin Arts Theatre, and the event includes a Silent Auction and much more. There's still time to sponsor this event, or for more information on how to support the Algonquin via our silent auction, ad journal or sponsorship, please visit algonquinarts.org/bash

Cast & Creative Team

Musical theater's best leading men transport you from the Golden Age and back again in a thrilling and moving evening of Broadway's most beloved hits. You'll delight to hear favorites from SOUTH PACIFIC, WEST SIDE STORY, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, LES MISERABLES, JERSEY BOYS, and the list goes on.

Meet The Broadway Tenors

John Cudia

John holds the distinct honor of being the first and only actor to have performed both as the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera and Jean Valjean in Les Misérables on Broadway. John's most recent Broadway run counted him as only the 12th performer to play the Phantom in its historic, record-breaking, 25 years. John recently played Jean Valjean at the Marriott Theater in Chicago where his performance not only earned him critical acclaim but also the Joseph Jefferson Award for "best actor in a musical." John proudly made his Broadway debut in Les Misérables and enjoyed a long and successful relationship with both Les Miz and Phantom. John toured the United States and Canada as the Phantom and also has the role of Raoul, from The Phantom of the Opera, to his credit.

John is emerging as a classical crossover artist. He sang his first Alfredo in La Traviata with Lyric Opera of the North. A return to "L.O.O.N." is scheduled for 2017 for another Verdi role debut as the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto. John proudly made his Lyric Opera of Chicago debut as Curly in their production of Oklahoma!

John most recently created the role of Dr. Woodly in the World Premiere of Happy Birthday Wanda June by Richard Auldon Clark for Indianapolis Opera with Libretto by Indiana's own Kurt Vonnegut. He sang Juan Peron in Evita for Vancouver Opera and will returned for his role debut of Cassio in Verdi's Otello in the 2017 Opera Festival.

For composer Jonathon Dove, John created the role of Harry for his work entitled Innocence for Banff Theatre Centre.

As a featured tenor soloist John has sung in concert across the country with THE BROADWAY TENORS, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, The Omaha Symphony and with the Orchestra of Saint Peter by the Sea in his home state.

Some favorite roles in regional performances include Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar at Carousel Theatre, Freddy in My Fair Lady at Westchester Broadway Theater. Tony in West Side Story in theaters across the country including The Paper Mill Playhouse, North Shore Music Theater, Pioneer Theater, Portland Stage, St. Louis Repertory, and Casa Mañana. He was tenor Tony in Master Class at Portland Stage. And in his personal favorite South Pacific, John joined Ron Raines at Paper Mill Playhouse as Lt. Cable at Casa Mañana, North Shore Music Theatre and Pioneer Theatre and most recently was Emile DeBecque for Sacramento Music Circus. John has helped develop new works for the theatre with Roundabout Theatre, the Banff Theatre Centre, Paper Mill, for composers Jonathon Dove, Frank Wildhorn and Maury Yeston.

John was raised in Tom's River, NJ, and was a musical performer from a very early age. He earned his B.A. from Fordham University. He currently studies voice with Metropolitan Opera Baritone Mark Oswald.

John is happily married to Broadway actress Kathy Voytko and the proud father of Alena Joyce and Evelyn Rose.

Kevin Kern

Kevin is just back from starring as JM Barrie in the National Tour of Finding Neverland. He performed this role over a hundred times in the Broadway production as a standby for Matthew Morrison, Alfie Boe, and Tony Yazbeck.

Other Broadway credits include Wicked (Fiyero), The Bridges of Madison County (Standby for Robert Kincaid), First Date (Standby), The Wedding Singer (Standby for Robbie Hart), and Les Misérables (Marius). He has also performed in London where he was a part of the West End production of Hair.

On the other side of the globe, he has traveled and performed extensively in Asia. He helped open the Culture Square Theater in Shanghai and has performed concerts in Singapore and Manila. Currently, he is helping to develop Singapura, an original musical opening in 2015 in Singapore to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their independence.

Other travels have taken him to Los Angeles where he was in the Pre-Broadway production of 9 to 5 The Musical and across the country in the National Tour of The Music Of Andrew Lloyd Webber. He has also performed concerts in Mozambique, Chile, Argentina, and all around the Caribbean.

Closer to home, he was in the original Off-Broadway productions of Next To Normal at Second Stage Theater, played Woody in Finian's Rainbow at the Irish Repertory Theater, and was a swing in the original company of Altar Boyz, where he performed all five roles.

When he's not working in New York, Kevin has performed across the country in such venues as The Papermill Playhouse in New Jersey, The St. Louis MUNY, Sacramento California Music Circus, The Virginia Opera, and The Signature Theater in Washington D.C. He has also performed at the world-famous Carnegie Hall.

Kevin originally moved to New York City to attend New York University where he earned a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. He and his wife, Megan Lawrence, have four crazy kids named Gus, Sunny Jo, Nolie, and Clover!

Jeff Kready

Jeff most recently starred on Broadway as Monty Navarro in the 2014 Tony award winning musical, A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder at the Walter Kerr Theatre. Jeff has the distinction of being the youngest person, at age 24, to perform the role of Jean Valjean on Broadway, while making his Broadway debut as understudy in the 2006 revival of Les Misérables.

In 2008, he was cast in the Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George. Later that year he would go on to be an original cast member in Elton John's Billy Elliot the Musical. In 2010 he began playing the role of Tony Elliot, Billy's older brother, both on Broadway, and then originating the role in the national touring production.

Off-Broadway he was seen in Tokio Confidential at the Atlantic Theater Company. Regional credits include Jimmy in Thoroughly Modern Millie at The Paper Mill Playhouse, Mr. Snow in Carousel at The Goodspeed Opera House, Crumpet in David Sedaris' one-man- show, The Santaland Diaries at Hartford TheaterWorks, the world premiere of In This House at the Two River Theater Company, Jesus in Godspell, Billy Lawlor in 42nd Street, Rum Tum Tugger in CATS, and Billy Crocker in Anything Goes. Jeff starred in a new, two person operetta for Mind the Art Entertainment called, Jack of Hearts, Master of None at Here Arts.

On television, Jeff was seen in season three of Boardwalk Empire on HBO. He can be heard as the voice of Umpqua Bank in several commercials. He co-starred on Elementary (CBS). Coming in 2017 Jeff plays the title role in the animated film, Prodigal, a musical telling of the Biblical parable about the prodigal son. He holds a BA in Voice Performance and in Vocal Music Education from Washburn University. His wife, Nikki, and he just had their first child, Lena, born in June. Follow him @jkready and jeffkready.com.